(Credit: Lockhart ISD)
The Lockhart Independent School District was hoping voters would say yes to a proposed $92.4-million school bond, but it was not to be on Tuesday. By a fairly wide margin, 55-percent of voters rejected the bond package compared to 45-percent who were in favor of it. The money would’ve been used to address the district’s year-over-year growth trends through the construction of two new school buildings, as well as additions to current facilities.
Leading up to Election Day, some voters expressed concern over a rise in the tax rate, which the district said could be as high as 9-cents. Lockhart ISD’s current tax rate is $1.26 per $100 of taxable value.
6120 students were enrolled in Lockhart ISD for the 2018 school year. Officials say the district has seen a student population increase of 36-percent over the past decade — a trend that has shown no signs of slowing.
In a statement, Superintendent Mark Estrada says the bond may have failed, but the needs of the district still remain. The school board is now expected to be tasked with finding a new avenue for drumming up the necessary funding for those upgrades.
